But I would be remiss if I do not at least make passing mention of how depressed, disgusted, and, yes, angry I've become as I watch the ongoing attempts at voter suppression in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Iowa, and other states where Republicans and their Teabagger allies control key seats of power.

It is one thing to attempt to win elections. But trying to do so by denying the most basic and important right of any American citizen to hundreds and thousands of people, on entirely spurious grounds... that goes beyond reprehensible. That is despicable.

It would really be nice if there were still some Republicans of conscience out there who would stand up and loudly denounce these efforts, a few men of honor and integrity for whom "win the election" does not "win the election at any cost." There were once many Republicans I admired, even I disagreed with them: men like Everett Dirksen, Clifford Case, Henry Cabot Lodge, William Scranton... yes, even Barry Goldwater, conservative as he is. I do not believe for a moment that Goldwater would have approved of this, any more than Robert A. Heinlein would have. They were conservatives, but they were not bigots, nor racists, nor corrupt. The Vote Suppressors have far more in common with Lester Maddox, George Wallace, John Stennis, and their ilk than they do with their distinguished GOP forebears.

The people behind these efforts at disenfranchising large groups of voters (the young, the old, the black, the brown) are not Republicans, since clearly they have scant regard for our republic or its values. They are oligarchs and racists clad in the skins of dead elephants.

And don't tell me they are libertarians either. No true libertarians would ever support a culture where citizens must "show their papers" to vote or travel. That's a hallmark of a police state, not a free country.

TUESDAY ADDENDUM: Okay, this has been running several days now, has been featured on HUFFINGTON POST and ABC news, referenced on Stephanie Miller, and no doubt countless other people. We have had four hundred messages, and I think everyone has had their say, and everything that needs to be said has been said. Generally eight or ten times. There are plenty of links and references in the comment threads for those who would like to know more about these voter suppression efforts. If you don't want to dig through the links, start with the Brennan Center for Justice and get the facts.

There's no sense in letting this spin on in circles forever. I am locking comments. Back to Westeros and worldcon and similar subjects, boys and girls.

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Comments

You should have identification on you at all times. I don't leave my house without any. As such, I can not comprehend why it is an issue to have to prove who you are to vote. I'm 24. I have refused thus far to vote since it is my right to NOT vote the same as it is to vote and frankly, you're picking your own poison right now and that sits terribly with me. I refuse to pick who is going to screw us over more. But, I had no idea you didn't have to show ID until recently. It is outright common sense. My head hurts thinking that this is an issue and that people are up in arms over it. I am strongly anti-Politician, and even stronger anti-Republican. But hell, I agree with having to have ID. If you can't secure any and you're of the correct age, grow up. Start acting like an adult. I mean, we don't let people under 18 vote because they aren't supposed to be intelligent or mature enough or whatever to understand, research and make informed opinions about politics. But we're letting people who can't secure an ID, who are too immature to be able to identify themselves vote? Let's face it, many of those people are on welfare. And as such, a great many of them are less educated than so many of our young adults aren't educated or mature enough to vote. Now I am wholly for welfare. Further, I am by no means anti-socialist, not that I want socialism in our country (though having socialist policies isn't bad by any means and the potential to have them is what makes our country great), but the state of the welfare system in this country reprehensible. There are so many things wrong right now with this country that it would be better to start from scratch.